Well, the "handbreak" on mine is now better, after a few hundred yards use on the open road...

Spreading the adjuster so that there are only 3 clicks travel on the footpedal seems to have helped too - however, cant see how travel helps efficiency!

One Volvo master mechanic claimed its a "use it or loose it" with these as they rust up - both the cables and the drum surface.... and as most are auto (new ones are auto ONLY!) the handbrakes are often forgotten.

I tested one of these the other week, having never been in one before, I opted for the Tapley meter test on the brakes. It recorded 12% for the parking brake, confirmed by it not holding on a slope. On restest the following day it recorded 18%, which was sufficient for a pass and advise. I could have probably got it to record a higher efficiency if I had been brutal with it, after reading the previous post, it seems that they are somewhat fragile.

I own a 2006 XC90 Fantastic car, but the handbrake is strange to say the least.

I have had the car from new with no issues until New Years Eve.

I had driven from the NorthEast to Wales where I had to stop on a hill for traffic lights, my handbrake would not hold the car. I got to my sister drive where again I applied the handbrake, this time it went right to the floor NO brake at all.

Phoned Greenflag up next day who quickly dispatched a local garage to have a look at it. Thought it was the plastic clip that held the cable to the footbrake pedal. He must have spent a good 30 mins checking it out, before confirming that everything looked OK, the hand brake had nothing to do with the footbrake.

Got up early this morning to go and fill up before driving home with my family, managed to drive about 300 yards when suddenly a cluck with what sounded like a cable spining around the read axle followed by a locked up left rear wheel. Although not happy I was pleased I was only doing about 25 MPH and on a slight hill.

Car had to be manovered into a safe position not easy with a locked wheel and no hand brake but have managed to get it back to my sisters.

If you have a problem with the handbrake get it repaired, don't drive it.

just a thought but when you replaced the handbrake shoes was the inner face of the disc that they operate on rusted to death?pretty normal on anything auto with this sort of layout(bmw/merc to name but a few)and the normal short term cure is to apply said brake till it just starts to drag then tear off down the road for a mile or so in an attempt to bed it back in.keep in mind that in normal use they dont operate enough to clean themselves in the way that pads etc do as its only applied when parking so even with new linings it can take a while for any significant effort to build up.

Yes, concensus...is its crap... which is out of order on a so called premium marque.

The cam at the backplate has no adjustment at all - its all done by the "automatic" adjuster that is accessible from the NS centre console - remove the side carpet and the cable is there. The cam is free to move, within itself and against the backplate.

The Y to split l/rhs is under the centre console....inside the car.

I have checked twice every moving part, so, the only thing left is to replace the two rearward cables. I cannot think that the cable between Y and "handrake" pedal can be duff... given the environment its in.

I guess with 99% of these being auto, the owners never use the handbrake...

I am at a bit of a loss really... or perhaps I expect more than its capable of.

Does it have any adjustment for wear on the actual handbrake shoes? My recollection of earlier volvos is that they didn't and the spreader bar between bottom of the shoes (ie opposite where the cable attaches) would wear. This bar if fitted is where vauxhall and various other makers using a similar setup would have their adjuster. Looking around on google the general consensus would appear to be that the handbrake on the xc90 is crap.

I do need to check the balance, and without rollers its not easy (other than jack rear and check grab is approx the same both sides at part handbrake applied).

The adjuster is a funny one with the wee circlip etc - I have spread out (modified external circlip pliers to act as "factory tool!") the adjuster and it does click and expand, and there is loads of adjustment left.

I guess I need to have another look at the cables - as you say, internally, who knows.

a cheap fix to that problem is to remove the adjustment nut, affix some washers (10-15) then re-fit the adjustment nut. if it works replace the cables asap as if they have stretched the may also be frayed inside the outer casing & not visable.

I should point out I've not worked on this model of volvo so please excuse my slightly inept assistance

I presume that you have tested that both cables operate (fairly) equally when the foot operated parkbrake is applied? if the relevant cables move equally i would hazard a guess that they could well have become 'stretched' over the years & have no further adjustment, ie stretched cable = poor operation.

I have not had it on the rollers, but the brake is terrible - I appreciate its a heavy car, but it wont hold even on a slight gradient.

The cables are free, and not rusted or damaged at any point.

I have replaced the rear discs/pads and handbrake shoes... and adjusted the cable as per the VIDA instructions (adjuster at side of centre colsole - this has a manual adjuster not the auto fitted to earlier cars). Heaven knows who dreampt up a foot apply and hand releae mechanism...its pants!

The actuating cams at the shoes are free and coppaslipped up (none on friction surfaces obviously!)

Have any of you experienced the poor handbrake and and clues for a fix?!?!